In cameras of the so-called auto-process type film is provided not in the form of a continuous roll but in the form of individual units, a plurallity of which are contained in a pack or similar container which is loaded in the camera and each of which is independently exposed, moved out of the film unit pack via a slit defined in the pack, and then processed to produce a completed print and moved to the exterior of the camera. Processing of an exposed film unit is usually effected by a processing roll unit through which the film unit passes while being forwarded from the film unit pack to the exterior of the camera, and which breaks open a pod which contains a chemical solution for development and processing of photosensitive film material and is normally included in the film unit itself, and causes this solution to be spread in a viscous layer through the film, whereby a latent image carried by the exposed film unit is developed and a positive, viewable image is obtained. As well as processing exposed film units, the processing roll unit also serves to forward film units to the camera exterior, via an exit slit defined in the camera top or side wall, for example.
A problem with this type of camera is that the processing roll unit, which is a very important part of the camera, requires comparatively frequent maintenance or cleaning. This is partly due to the fact that the roll unit is in direct line with the film unit exit slot defined in a camera wall and hence is exposed to some extent to external dust, but is mainly due to the fact that processing solution sometimes escapes from a film unit when being extruded from the processing solution pod of the film unit and adheres to the processing rolls, since, in order to ensure complete processing of film unit, it is practice to provide in a film unit pod a greater amount of processing solution than is actually required. In conventional auto-process cameras the processing film unit is generally mounted in a portion of the camera which is in direct integral connection to the main body portion of the camera housing the film unit pack and other camera elements. This construction has the disadvantage that access to the processing roll unit is comparatively difficult, and also that if cleaning or repair of the processing roll unit becomes necessary when there are unexposed film units still remaining in the film pack loaded in the camera, these film units become at least partially exposed to external light, and subsequent use thereof to produce photographs results in fogged copies. As an improvement on this construction it has been known to provide an auto-process camera with a processing roll unit which is freely suspended in a portion of the camera main body and may be independently removed from the camera. This construction has the advantage that access to and repair or cleaning of the roll unit are made easier, but, since the roll unit is located intermediate the film unit exit slit defined in a film unit pack and a similar slit defined in an outer wall of the camera, removal of the processing roll unit still results in partial exposure of film units remaining in the camera, which are therefore rendered unuseable.
It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide an auto-process camera having a construction which permits easy removal of the processing roll unit for repair or cleaning thereof, but also ensures that film units remaining in the camera are protected from exposure when the processing roll unit is removed.
It is another object of the invention to provide an auto-process camera having a processing roll unit which is detachable and also has a simple construction permitting easy disassembly and re-assembly thereof.
In accomplishing these and other objects, there is provided, according to the present invention an auto-process camera in which the processing roll unit is provided in a detachable housing and the film unit exit slit of a film unit pack loaded in the camera is in line with a slit which is defined in a wall portion of the camera which, when the camera is a completely assembled condition, is an internal wall portion of the camera and which carries a slit closure element which is moved out of line with the slit when the processing roll unit housing is mounted on the camera, and which automatically moves to close the slit, and so protects any remaining film units from exposure, when the processing roll unit is removed.
A better understanding of the present invention may be had from the following full description thereof when read in reference to the attached drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts, and: